Airship.



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AIRSHIP.

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v MRSHIP. APPLICATION FILED MN. 8. 191 8- Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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AIRSHIP- APPLICATION FILED JAN. a. ma. Patented Aug. 20 19187 z SHEETS-SHEET a.

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JAMES DAVID SALTS, 0F BOIS DARC, MISSOURI.

AIRSHIP.

Application filed January 8, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES D. SALTS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bois DArc, in the county of Greene and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in airships, and has for its object to provide a device of the character specified, wherein a car is provided supported by a gas bag or gas bags and by planes arranged at the car and at the gas bag, and arranged to be swung in unison to assist in supporting the car and in guiding it vertically and laterally, and wherein propellers are provided, which may be swung laterally to assist in guiding the car, and wherein a new and improved type of engine is provided which may be operated by gas or by compressed air.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the airship, with the gas containers removed;

Fig. 2 is a side View with the car in section, and with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the steering mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a section through the steering column showing the locking mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the plane shifting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the controlling shafts for the planes and their gear connection;

Fig. 7 is a side view of a modified arrangement;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows adjacent to the line;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows adjacent the line;

Fig. 10 is an end view of the engine;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the same;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows adjacent the line.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, a car 1 is provided, of suitable size and capacity, the said car being supported while on the ground by wheels 2 which are journaled in truss frames 3 depending from the car. Gas bags 4 are arranged above the car at the ends thereof, two bags being utilized in the present instance, and each bag, as shown, is supported Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Serial No. 210,870.

by a rigid framework 5 within the same, so that even with the gas exhausted the bags will not lose their shape. The lower outlet 6 of each bag passes downwardly through a tubular structure 7 in the roof of the car, and the said end of each bag is connected by a valved pipe 8 with a suitable combustion device 9 which delivers by a valved pipe 10 to a reservoir 11. Each ofthese reser- Voirs is adapted to deliver to the adjacent bag or to a motor shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, to be described, each motor driving a propeller shaft 12 which is journaled in'the adjacent end of the car and in a suitable pedestal 13, and a propeller 14 is mounted on each shaft outside the car.

The propeller shaft 12 at the front of the car is sectional, having a portion 1 L at the outer end thereof connected to the main portion of the shaft by a universal joint connection. This portion 14 of the shaft is journaled in one end of a substantially rectangular frame 15, connected at its other end to steering mechanism, in a manner to be presently described, for swingingthe front propeller 14 to guide the vessel. The front end of the frame has rigid therewith an angle bar 16 which extends downwardly and rearwardly and has a journal pin 17 journaled in a bracket 18 on the front end of the car.

The steering means comprises a steering shaft 19 provided with a wheel 20 at its up per end, and the lower end of the shaft rotates in a bearing plate 21 which is provided with an are shaped series of openings for engagement by a latch pin 22 mounted to slide in the steering shaft, and normally spring pressed into engagement with the openings of the plate. This latch pin is connected to a latch lever 23 arranged near the steering wheel, by means of a link 24, in such manner that when the free end of the lever is pressed upwardly the latch pin will be disengaged. An arm 25 is rigid with the shaft, and this arm has a fork whose arms engage on opposite sides of the pin 26*" at the rear end of the frame 15. It will be evident that when the shaft is swung by means of the wheel the frame 15 will be swung on the journal pin 17, to move the portion 14* of the shaft laterally with respect to the portion 12, to thus guide the car in its flight.

The car is supported from the gas bags by the usual network of ropes or cables, the said network being partially omitted for the sake of clearness and, in addition to the gas bags, upper and lower sets of planes are provided for assisting in the supportlng and guiding of the vessel.

A pair of shafts 26 is ournaled longitudinally on the top of the car in bearings 27, and a pair of planes 28 is secured to each shaft, the planes of each set extending from the front and rear ends of the shafts, and the planes at each side are spaced apart from each other, as shown. The upper planes 29 are secured to shafts 30 which extend transversely of the gas bags at about their centers, and the planes are thus mounted to rock on an axis transverse to the long axis of the car. These shafts have radial arms 31 which are connected by links 32 with crank arms 33 on the shafts 26 in such manner that when the shafts 26 are rotated the shafts 30 will also be rotated and the planes 28 and 29 will be rocked, the planes 28 swinging on an axis parallel with the long axis of the car and the planes 29 swingingon axes transverse to the said axis of the car.

The shafts 26 are oscillated from within the front end of the car by means of the mechanism shown more particularly in Fig. 5. The said mechanism comprises a lever 3-1 which has latch mechanism coperating with a toothed sector 35 and the lever is secured to the axis of a sprocket wheel 36 upon which the lever swings, when the latch mechanism co5perating with the sector will hold it and the wheel in adjusted position. A sprocket chain 37 connects the wheel with a sprocket wheel 38 on one of the shafts 26 and these shafts are geared together by gears 39 of equal diameter, and intermeshing with each other.

It will be evident that when the lever is released from the latch mechanism and is moved to oscillate the sprocket wheel 36 the sprocket Wheel 38 will also be oscillated and the shafts 26 will be swung in unison, to swing the planes 28, and to simultaneously swing the planes 29.

It will be noticed that within the car seats .10 are arranged, and the car has windows 41, and li hts 42 for lightin the same. The lights 42 may be gas which may be supplied from the bags, or electric, which may be generated from a generator not shown) driven by the motor. At each end of the car is a vertical partition 43 separating a compartment for the engineer, and it will be noticed that a seat is provided for the engineer in each compartment.

The shafts 30 are supported from the car body by standards 46, and each bag is provided with an outlet valve 47 near its top, which is operated by means of a cord 48 from the interior of the car. It will be noticed that windows 49 are arranged at each end of the car, in position such that the engineer can see forwardly and rearwardly.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is shown a modified construction, wherein the car 50, similar to the car 1 of Fig. 1, is supported by a gas bag 51. Shafts 52 are journaled transversely of the car in bearings 53 on the top thereof, the said shafts being at the ends of the car, and extending upon each side thereof, and planes 5a are secured to each end of each shaft. The planes at each end of the car are arranged to be swung in unison to guide the car vertically, by means of the mechanism shown more particularly in Fig. 9. In this arrangement a. sprocket wheel 55 is secured to each shaft between the bearings 53 which support the same, and each sprocket wheel 55 is connected by a chain 56 with a wheel 57 on an operating shaft 58 journaled in bearing brackets 59 on the floor of the car.

A lever 60 is secured to each shaft 58, and each lever has latch mechanism coperating with the gear segment 61 for holding the shaft 58 and the planes in adjusted position. The propeller 62 is the same as that shown in Fig. 2, and controlled in the same manner to guide the car laterally. It will be evident that this propeller might be driven by the same form of motor shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and somewhat more particularly in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, and that the said motor might be operated in the same mannor, with air under pressure or with gas from the bag 5.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12 is shown a type of motor particularly adapted for the improved airship. This motor, as shown, consists of a jacketed stator casing 63, having a tagential inlet 6% and an outlet or exhaust 65, and within the casing is mounted to rotate a rotor 66. This rotor has vanes, as shown, each of which has one face approximately radial to the rotor and the other inclined, and the radial faces of the vanes are adapted to re-- ceive the impact of the motive fluid as they pass the inlet 6&. An explosion or combustion chamber 67 is connected to the stator casing at the inlet 64 and communicates with the said inlet, and this chamber has, in connection therewith, a spark plug 68 for igniting the charge. A chamber 69 is provided ad acent to the chamber 67, and this chamber communicates with the chamber 67 by a port 70. The port is controlled by a valve 71, having a stem 72 which is mounted in a guide arm 73 from the stator casing, and the stem is provided with a roller 74 which moves upon a cam 75 secured to the shaft 76 to which the rotor 66 is keyed. A spring 77 acts normally to hold the valve closed, and to hold the roller in contact with the cam, and it will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 11 that the cam has four cam portions for opening the valve, and that the rotor has four vanes for engagement by the gases.

Motive fluid is supplied to the chamber 69 by a pipe 78, which leads from the pipe 7 9 connecting the reservoir 11, before mentioned, and from the reservoir 80 for air under pressure. Valves 82 and 83 are interposed in the pipe 79 on each side of the pipe 78 for controlling the supply of compressed air and gas to the chamber 69, and each of these reservoirs 11 and 80 has an inlet pipe 8 1 for admitting the gas to the reservoir. These pipes lead from pumps 85 which are operated by the shaft 76 through cams 86 loose on the said shaft. Each cam is encircled by an eccentric strap 87 which is connected to the piston rod 88 of the pump. Each cam 86 is adapted to be connected to the shaft, when desired, by means of clutch mechanism indicated at 89 and controlled by a lever 90 having latch mechanism, as shown, for engaging a gear segment 91. By means of the clutch mechanism either or both pumps may be connected to the shaft to be driven thereby.

A check valve 92 is interposed in each pipe 84 adjacent to the reservoir, and the spark plug is controlled by a cam 93 secured to the shaft 7 6 and similar to the cam 75. The switch, indicated at 94 and interposed in the circuit 95 of the spark plug, is operated by an elbow lever 96 which is controlled by a link 97 having a roller engaging the cam at one end and passing through an opening in one of the arms of the elbow lever 96 at the other.

A coil spring 98 encircles the link between the elbow lever and a stop on the link, to provide a yielding connection between the link and the elbow lever. Power is taken from the shaft 7 6 by the sprocket chain 45 before mentioned, which connects the propeller shaft with a sprocket wheel 99 loosely mounted on the shaft 7 6 and adapted to be connected thereto by clutch mechanism 100, which is operated by a lever 101 having latch mechanism cooperating with a gear segment 102.

In the operation of the improved engine, when compressed air is to be used, the valve 82 is opened and the valve 83 is closed. The spark plug is of course not needed, the air being passed directly from the chamber 69 through the chamber to the rotor. When gas is used, the valve 82 is closed and the valve 83 is opened, and the spark plug is placed in operation. A charge of gas is passed into the combustion chamber at each opening of the valve 71 and at the proper time the charge is ignited, to be driven into the stator casing and against the vanes of the rotor. When the engine is operating under gas, the gas pump is operated, and when operating under compressed air the air pump is operated.

It will be understood that as many bags may be used as may be found desirable, and these bags may be subdivided or made in sections, to prevent complete exhaustion or escape of gas when the bag is perforated, and the bags may be of any desired shape. It will be understood that in the construction of Figs. 1 and 2 the rear propeller may be arranged to swing. WVith this arrangement, the device may be more quickly turned, and is under better control during its travel. The planes 28 also assist in turning, that is in the lateral guiding of the vehicle. It will be evident that with the improved airship it will not be necessary for the ship to run along the ground to obtain a rising start, since it may be lifted directly by the bags.

It will be understood that the bags 4 might be filled from any suitable source of gas supply, but preferably they are filled from gas generated in the furnace of the engine room.

The furnaces 9 are generating devices for the gas, and they may deliver either to the bags or to the motors, when gas is used as a motive fluid for the motors. The motor is intended to operate on compressed air for only a short time.

I claim:

1. A device of the character specified, comprising a wheel supported car, gas bags connected with the ends of the car, said car having an opening at each end through which the small end of the bag extends, and planes at each side of the gas bag at approximately the center thereof and extending laterally therefrom and supported from the car to swing vertically on an axis transverse to the car, a pair of planes extending from the top of the car toward each side thereof and mounted to swing vertically with respect to the car on an axis longitudinal to the car, and a common means for swinging all of said planes, said means comprising radial arms connected with the supporting shafts for the planes of the bags, shafts supporting the planes on the car, arms extending radially from the shafts, links connecting the said arms with the arms of the shafts of the planes of the bag, and means for simultaneously oscillating the shafts of the planes of the car.

2. A device of the character specified, comprising a wheel supported car, gas bags connected with the ends of the car, said car having an opening at each end through which the small end of the bag extends, planes at each side of each gas bag at ap proximately the center thereof and extending laterally therefrom and supported from the car to swing vertically on an axis transverse to the car, a pair of planes extending from the top of the car toward each side thereof and mounted to swing vertically with respect to the car on an axis longitudinally of the car, and a common means for swinging all of said planes.

3. A device of the character specified,

comprising a Wheel supported car, gas bags connected With the ends of the car, said car having an opening at each end through which the small end of the bag extends, planes at each side of each gas bag at approximately the center thereof and extending laterally therefrom and supported from the car to swing vertically on an axis transverse to the ear a pair of planes extending from the top of the car toward each side thereof and mounted to swing vertically with respect to the car on an axis longitudr nal to the car, and a common means for swinging all of said planes.

4. A device of the character specified, comprising a car, gas bags connected With the ends of the car for supporting the same, planes extending laterally from the bags at each side thereof and supported from the car to swing vertically on an axis transverse to the car, means for simultaneously swinging the planes, planes extending laterally from the carand mounted to swing on axes longitudinally of the ear, means for simultaneously swinging the planes, and means for propelling and guiding the car.

JAMES DAVID SALTS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0." 

